Claude Balbastre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 of 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Balbastre

Claude Balbastre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Claude Balbastre (December 8, 1724 May 9,

1799) was a French composer, organist,
harpsichordist and fortepianist. He was one of
the most famous musicians of his time.

Claude Balbastre

Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Life
Works
Media
Records
See also
References
External links

Claude Balbastre. Miniature on ivory. Muse de

Dijon.
Born

December 8, 1724
Dijon

Life

Died

May 9, 1799 (aged 74)

Occupation

French composer

Claude Balbastre was born in Dijon in 1724.

Although his exact birthdate has been disputed, the discovery of his baptismal record has now made
that date, December 8, certain.[1]
Balbastre's father, Bnigne, a church organist in Dijon, had 18 children from two marriages; Claude
was the 16th. Three of his brothers were also named Claude. He received his first music lessons
from his father, then became a pupil of Claude Rameau, the younger brother of Jean-Philippe
Rameau, the most famous French musician at the time and also a native of Dijon.
Balbastre settled in Paris in 1750 and studied there with Pierre Fvrier, whom he succeeded as
organist of the Saint Roch church. Jean-Philippe Rameau helped and protected Balbastre when he
settled in the city, so Balbastre was quickly and efficiently introduced to the Parisian musical
circles and high society, and made a brilliant career: he played at the Concert Spirituel until
1782,[2] became organist of the Notre-Dame cathedral and of the Chapelle Royale, became
harpsichordist to the French royal court where he taught queen Marie-Antoinette, and became
organist for Louis-Stanislas-Xavier, Count of Provence, who later became Louis XVIII, King of
France. Balbastre's fame was so great that the Archbishop of Paris, Christophe de Beaumont had to
forbid him to play at Saint Roch during some of the services, because the churches were always
crowded when Balbastre played.

10/4/2016 6:21 PM

Claude Balbastre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2 of 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Balbastre

An account of one of these services at Saint Roch is provided by Dr Charles Burney who recounts
that, on Sunday 17 June 1770, he left a dinner early in order to hear the "celebrated" Balbastre play
the organ at Saint Roch. Balbastre "performed in all styles in accompanying the choir. When the
Magnificat was sung, he played likewise between each verse several minuets, fugues, imitations,
and every species of music, even to hunting pieces and jigs, without surprising or offending the
congregation, as far as I was able to discover."[3]
Burney visited Balbastre at home and reported that the latter owned a very beautiful harpsichord by
Ruckers : "After church M. Balbastre invited me to his house, to see a fine Rucker harpsichord
which he has had painted inside and out with as much delicacy as the finest coach or even
snuff-box I ever saw at Paris." He also reported that he owned a "very large organ, with pedals,
which it may be necessary for a French organist to have for practice; it is too large and coarse for
a chamber, and the keys are as noisy as those at St. Roque (sic)." Burney reports that Balbastre was
on very good terms with his fellow composer Armand-Louis Couperin, to whom he introduced
Burney, remarking "I was glad to see two eminent men of the same profession, so candid and
friendly together."[3]
In 1763, he married Marie-Genevive Hotteterre, daughter of Jacques Martin Hotteterre and
descendant of the famous family of Norman musicians. During the French Revolution, Balbastre's
connection with nobility and the royal court might have endangered his life, but he adapted to the
new political situation, playing the Revolutionary hymns and songs on his organ. He did lose his
official jobs and, temporarily, his pension. He died in Paris in 1799.

Works
Balbastre's known compositions include the following:
14 organ concertos (all lost but one)
quartet sonatas
two collections of harpsichord pieces (from 1748 and 1759)
four nols varis suites for the organ or fortepiano (1770).
variations on La Marseillaise: Marche des Marseillois et lAir a-ira Arrangs pour le Forte
Piano / Par le Citoyen C. Balbastre / Aux braves dfenseurs de la Rpublique franaise lan
1792 1er de la Rpublique

Media
Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrrP4c3YXjk) on YouTube
Jean-Luc Perrot play the Romance from lArt du facteur dorgues, Dom Bedos de Celles on
the organ Franois-Henri Clicquot, Souvigny

Records

10/4/2016 6:21 PM

Claude Balbastre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3 of 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Balbastre

Balbastre: Premier Livre de Pieces de Clavecin (1759) - Jean-Patrice

BROSSE, clavecin Kroll 1774 (label: Pierre Verany) [1999]
Balbastre: Pices de clavecin (1759) - Sophie YATES, clavecin
Andrew Garlick 1996, d'aprs Goujon 1748 (label: Chandos) [2011]
Balbastre: Pices de clavecin (1759) - Korneel BERNOLET,
clavecin Augusto Bonza 2011, d'aprs Hemsch 1736 (label: Aliud)
[2013]

See also
List of French harpsichordists
French organ school
Listen to Petite chasse (http://perso.wanadoo.fr/organ-au-logis
/Musique/BBBBpetiteChasse.mp3)

References
1. Baptismal record of Claude Balbastre
(http://www.musimem.com/balbastre-bio.htm)
2. Sadie, S.(ed), The Norton/Grove Concise
Encyclopaedia of Music, Norton, 1994, p.54
3. Preface to Curtis (ed.), CB Balbastre : Pices de
Clavecin d'Orgue, de Forte Piano, Huegel, 1973, p.
VIII

Marche des Marseillois

chante sur diferans
theatres, London: W.
Holland, 1792.

Joseph est bien mari

0:00

MENU

from Pice pour orgue pour le

temps de Nol
Problems playing this file? See media help.

External links
Free scores by Claude Balbastre at the International Music Score Library Project
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Claude_Balbastre&oldid=706354116"
Categories: French classical composers French male classical composers Baroque composers
Classical-period composers Composers for harpsichord 1724 births 1799 deaths
18th-century classical composers
This page was last modified on 22 February 2016, at 21:30.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional
terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit

10/4/2016 6:21 PM

Claude Balbastre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

4 of 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Balbastre

organization.

10/4/2016 6:21 PM